This can’t be the end for LeBron James. 

James’ agent Rich Paul wasn’t sitting in his typical courtside seat. His high school friends weren’t waiting in the hallway to greet him, as they were when he became the league’s all-time leading scorer in 2023. 

There was no celebration. There was no fanfare. 

This moment was not fitting for the end of The King’s career. 

Not for arguably the greatest player of all-time. Not for possibly the only person on the planet who both 90-year-old grandmas and two-year-old boys know by name. Not for one of the most famous people in the world. 

Sources close to James told the California Post that James is still uncertain about his future. He’s going to take some time and evaluate where he’s at mentally, physically and emotionally. 

He echoed that after the Lakers were swept out of the playoffs by the Thunder with a 115-110 loss in Game 4 on Monday. 

“I don’t know what the future holds for me, obviously,” said James, who had 24 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot.

He has to be coming back.

Kobe Bryant announced his retirement in November 2015, allowing sold-out crowds to honor him with standing ovations for nearly an entire season.

Even Tim Duncan waved at fans as he walked off the court for the final time. 

James didn’t do anything Monday. 

He has said he’s not sure if he wants a retirement tour. But after being in the spotlight since he was in middle school, it seems unimaginable that he would fade into the shadows without even so much as a goodbye. Without letting fans honor him one last time. Without marking the moment with the emotions and gravitas it deserves. 

James isn’t retiring. He can’t. 

He knows he can play at this level for another five years. He was the best player in the Lakers’ first-round playoff series against the Rockets. At age 41. In Year 23. 

James explained that whether he returns will come down to if he’s “still in love with the process.” For him, that means whether he still wants to show up to arenas 5 1/2 hours before games and three hours before practices. Whether he still wants to pour his heart into his craft. 

For him, it’s all or nothing. 

“If I fell out of love with the process, then I probably fell out of love with the game,” James said. “Because then I’m not treating the game with respect for me personally because I know how much work that I put into it.”

James said he plans to talk to his family before making his decision. He’s going to give himself time to mull things over. He’s going to reflect on how he feels.

This season was a whirlwind. 

He became the Lakers’ third offensive option behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. He embraced that role even though he knew he could do much more. It made the offense hum, with the team going on a 16-2 run this spring. 

“I’ve never been a third option in my life,” James said.  

Everything changed after Doncic and Reaves suffered injuries April 2. James was asked to carry the Lakers into the postseason. He was asked to be him — again. 

“That was pretty cool for me at this stage in my career,” he said. 

James, who has led 10 teams to the Finals, winning four championships, showed that he’s still winning the battle against Father Time. He can still elevate for thunderous dunks. He can still dominate with his unique combination of power and agility. He can still be the best player on the court on any given night. 

When asked if he has anything left to prove, he couldn’t help but chuckle. 

“As far as me individually?” he asked. “No. No.”

James, who’s about to become an unrestricted free agent, has made it clear that at this stage in his career he wants to play for a winning team. If he’s willing to take a significant pay cut from the $52.6 million he earned this season, the Lakers would welcome him back. 

It’s hard to imagine he’d want to leave Los Angeles.

His son, Bronny, is on the Lakers’ roster. His wife and 12-year-old daughter have put down roots in the city. He has become obsessed with golf under the Southern California sun. 

Austin Reaves, who’s expected to turn down his $14.9 million player option and become a free agent, didn’t mince words when asked how he’d feel about playing alongside James for another season.

“It would mean the world to me,” Reaves said. “I don’t know anything different. My rookie year, I had no idea what the hell was going on and he basically took me under his wing and [has] given me every opportunity that I could ever ask for,”

As for Doncic, he was coy when asked if he was going to recruit James and the team’s other free agents to re-sign with the Lakers.

“We’ll see,” Doncic said, flashing a smile. “Can’t tell you nothing.”

James has to be coming back. And the Lakers are likely his best option. Returning to Cleveland seems farfetched. When he was mentioning cities he doesn’t enjoy playing in earlier this season, he said, “I don’t like going home either.” 

It seems highly unlikely he’d want to join a new franchise at this stage in his career, such as the Warriors or Knicks.  

So, there’s a good chance he’ll return to the Lakers or retire. 

And it just seems impossible that he’d retire. 

Not like this. Not so unceremoniously. 

James and the NBA have been synonymous for 23 years. He’s not only the face of the league, he’s its pulse. After two decades, he’s still dominating headlines and airwaves. He’s still the biggest star in a league of megastars. 

He’s still LeBron James. 

He would’ve let us say goodbye. We watched him grow up. We watched him enter the league as a bright-eyed 18-year-old under the most pressure of any prospect ever. We watched people root for him to fail. And we watched him sprint past all of the negativity, soaring above his sky-high expectations.

James’ retirement would be monumental. It would mark the end of an era. It would be a funeral. It would be a celebration.

It would be the conclusion of the most incredible career of any athlete in any sport. 

This did not feel worthy of that moment. 

This was not goodbye. 

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All of the Sixers' free agents and team options in 2026 offseason  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers begin their 2026 offseason with several major unknowns.

As detailed below, we do at least know which players are set to hit free agency and which have contract options.

The deadline for player and team option decisions is June 29. Free agency will formally kick off in earnest on June 30 at 6 p.m. ET. The list below covers the team’s standard roster spots and does not include two-way contract players MarJon Beauchamp and Tyrese Martin.

Kelly Oubre Jr. — unrestricted free agent 

Oubre’s been one of the few mainstays in the Sixers’ lineup over the past three years. 

He averaged 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals. Oubre dealt with elbow and knee injuries, missing 32 games, but he started all 11 of the Sixers’ postseason contests. The 30-year-old wing had his best three-point shooting season at 36 percent, although that number dipped to 25.6 percent in the playoffs. 

Beyond the surface stats, the Sixers have appreciated Oubre’s defense on star wings and knack for cutting off of Joel Embiid. 

“I love it here,” he said at his exit interview Sunday. “But this is not my first rodeo. I’ve averaged 20 points in this league and still found myself barely getting any contracts. At the end of the day, I’ve learned so much. The game of basketball has reinvented itself to me through different lenses and different eyes throughout my tenure here. I’m forever appreciative of the opportunity to play for this city. 

“I obviously don’t like how it ended. I always say I like to finish what I start, and this is a bit sour for me. But at the end of the day, it’s already written. God already has it written upstairs and it’s just going to follow through. I hope I did myself a good service by being more efficient, slowing down and just playing better overall basketball. Just continue to grow as a human being and as a player. It’s already written and we’ll see where the chips fall.”

Quentin Grimes — unrestricted free agent 

Grimes’ restricted free agency last summer ended with him accepting the Sixers’ one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer.

With rookie VJ Edgecombe’s emergence as the Sixers’ starting shooting guard, Grimes served mainly as the team’s sixth man for the 2025-26 campaign. In the regular season, Grimes played 29.4 minutes per game, averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists, and shot 33.4 percent from three-point range. He logged 22.1 minutes per game in the playoffs and averaged 6.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists. 

“I feel like I was able to prove myself every time I stepped on the court,” Grimes said at his exit interview. “If I had more responsibilities or I was in a bench role, just coming in and trying to make an impact any way I can.

“I’m kind of digesting the season as a whole right now. We had a pretty good season, considering everything we went through as a team, battling a whole bunch of stuff. But I haven’t really given any thought to what’s going on after today and what’s going on this summer. It’ll take care of itself, really.”

Andre Drummond — unrestricted free agent 

Drummond reached Round 2 of the playoffs for the first time in his career. He split backup center and replacement starter duties with second-year big man Adem Bona. 

After struggling with a lingering left big toe injury in the 2024-25 season, Drummond was clearly a healthier, better player. The 32-year-old became a regular three-point shooter for the first time, going 32 for 90 (35.6 percent) from long distance. Drummond also made two triples in the Sixers’ play-in tournament win over the Magic and went 4 for 8 in the playoffs. 

“If you would’ve told Andre Drummond at 17 that he was going to make a dagger three, I don’t think he would’ve believed you,” Drummond said after the play-in victory. “But there’s a lot of work that I’ve put into it, not only this year but throughout my entire career. I’ve worked countless hours … and the work is showing. Shoutout to (Sixers head coach) Nick Nurse for giving me the green light to shoot those shots.”

Kyle Lowry — unrestricted free agent 

The 40-year-old Lowry hardly played outside of garbage time in the 20th season of his NBA career.

Lowry’s been a mentor to many Sixers, including Tyrese Maxey. After Lowry got a rare stint in the Sixers’ Nov. 28 win over the Nets, Maxey called the six-time All-Star and Raptors great “Coach Kyle.”

Dominick Barlow — $3.4 million club option 

Barlow went from two-way contract player to steady starter.

While his role diminished in the playoffs, Barlow still received minutes as both a power forward and small-ball center. The 22-year-old New Jersey native posted 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.9 steals per game in the regular season. 

Trendon Watford — $2.8 million club option 

Watford was sidelined for the start of the year by a hamstring injury. Unsurprisingly, the 25-year-old forward had natural chemistry with his close friend Maxey once he suited up. He had some encouraging moments during the regular season, including a 20-point triple-double against the Raptors on Nov. 8, but didn’t crack the Sixers’ playoff rotation.

Dalen Terry — $2.6 million club option 

The Sixers converted Terry’s contract from a two-way to a standard NBA deal last month.

The 2022 first-round draft pick made 14 regular-season appearances and averaged 4.1 points, 1.6 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per game. 

Having checked in with the Western Conference, it’s time for the Bucks to look in their own backyard. Comebacks, upsets, and tougher-than-expected series defined the first round. But what does this all mean for Milwaukee? Let’s dive in.

Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic

What happened?

For two weeks, the NBA time-travelled back to the early 2000s: total scores struggling to surpass 90, field goal percentages in the 30s, and offensive ratings in-line with tanking teams. To put it blankly, these teams struggled to put the ball in the hoop. Orlando stole Game 1 on the road, then won both at home to take a commanding 3-1 lead over Detroit and looked primed to become just the seventh eight-seed to beat a one-seed. But after the Pistons prevailed in a Game 5 showdown where Cade Cunningham and Paolo Banchero put up 45 points apiece, the Magic seized up. And when they turned a 22-point half time lead in Game 6 into a 14-point loss, the series was all but over.

What matters?

Shot creation is what matters. The Pistons nearly lost to an eight-seed that shot less than 40% for the series thanks to its roster construction, one that relies almost entirely on Cunningham to create looks. It took its toll too, with Cunningham totalling a staggering 41 turnovers (to just 50 assists). The Bucks will have Ryan Rollins back next season, and Ousmane Dieng can do some secondary playmaking, but with a huge question mark surrounding Giannis’ future with the team—and a smaller one with Kevin Porter Jr.’s—the Bucks have a lot of work to do to ensure they have enough legitimate creators. Heck, even with Giannis and KPJ there’s work to do, as this season proved.

Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers 

What happened?

Joe Mazzulla said it best: “What changed in this series was Joel Embiid came back and they’re a completely different team.” Yes, Joel Embiid, notorious for playoff letdowns, flipped this series on its head. After getting routed in his Game 4 return, when they clearly struggled to reintegrate him into their play, the 76ers won three in a row to snatch the series and end the Celtics’ Cinderella season. Embiid had 34 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists in the clincher, while running mate Tyrese Maxey put up 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. It was just the third time the 76ers have beaten the Celtics in their nine Game 7 matchups—and the first time Embiid has won a Game 7 matchup (previously 0-3).

What matters?

This series speaks three truths. One, it reaffirms that redemption isn’t just solely for the movies. For Milwaukee, think Myles Turner. After an underwhelming season that was arguably his worst as a pro, with a new coach and system—one that might actually play to his strengths—Turner has a legitimate shot at reminding the world how much of a real difference-maker he can be. It’s not all on coaching and system, though, Turner needs to be better. Flat out.

Two, regular season depth—and trust—isn’t the same as playoff depth (and trust). Especially when it comes to Game 7s. Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza, Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper Jr., and Jordan Walsh—regulars all season long (save, perhaps, Harper)—combined for just 53 minutes of action and 0/12 from the field. Nikola Vucevic, who the Celtics acquired in exchange for Anfernee Simons, was a DNP-CD. The Bucks then, must be particularly mindful how they assess their own regular season minute-eaters and not overvalue their play, especially in a losing season. This goes for Cormac Ryan, Pete Nance, Jericho Sims, and even Ousmane Dieng.

Three, over-rely on the long ball at your own peril. The Celtics ranked fourth in the league during the regular season, taking 46.7% of their shots from three. In the playoffs, they upped this to a league-leading 52.5%. However, their accuracy regressed, dropping from 36.7% to 33.7%, and in Game 7 a whopping 49 of their 93 shots came from long range, yet they hit just 13 of them (26.5%) as they lost by nine. So, once again, shot creation matters. The Bucks need shooters, yes, but they don’t need one-dimensional ones (if we didn’t already know).

New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks 

What happened?

After Atlanta went up 2-1—with each win coming by just one point—New York’s depth of talent finally shone through, smacking Atlanta about over the next three games (including a winning margin of 51 in Game 6). The Hawks were relying on the 34-year-old CJ McCollum as their main source of offence, which was only ever going to work for so long, while Jalen Johnson was a huge disappointment on both ends. Crucially, the Knicks also switched KAT’s matchup after Game 3, putting him back on Okongwu instead of getting cute with it and trying to hide him on non-shooting wings like Dyson Daniels or Jonathan Kuminga, which freed up guys like Josh Hart to have more of an impact as on-ball defenders.

What matters?

I think this one is simple: you can win with smoke and mirrors in the regular season, but you need bona fide stars to win in the playoffs. Atlanta’s post-deadline resurgence was a nice story, but it should be mentioned that they had a long run of cupcake games down the home stretch. And don’t get me wrong, the Hawks played a solid brand of basketball on both ends, but once they ran into a team with legit, proven contributors in the postseason, it was over. They still have a ways to go.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors

What happened?

After lookung uncompeteteive in Games 1 and 2, the Raptors found their identity (and it was classic Raptors): a big, athletic, imposing team that will suffocate you. The home team won every game in the series, which not many people predicted. Although Toronto’s offence sputtered in certain games, the defence never waivered (well, until the second half of Game 7, when they lost hold of the rope).

What matters?

From a Cavs POV, I think it says a lot about team-building. I really like Cleveland’s team—they have skilled, unselfish role players and are deep in almost every position—but their stars, Mitchell and Harden, needed to lead the dance, which, by and large, they did not. Both players looked completely flummoxed by the Raptors’ defence, which pressured them relentlessly in the halfcourt and fullcourt, leading to a high turnover rate. I think what matters here is that finding an identity is the first step to becoming good; the Raptors know what they hang their hat on, and crucially, what they don’t. Although a few bad contracts may limit Toronto’s flexibility somewhat, they seem ripe for improvement if they can get better offensively. Under Taylor Jenkins, the Bucks’ first step will be finding that identity—with or without Giannis.

Do you agree with our assessments, or is there something we missed? Add your two cents in the comments.

When Juke Harris met with UNC head coach Michael Malone and staff at a restaurant in Salisbury a month ago, Harris seemed determined to test the NBA waters in the combine. UNC decided to shift its attention to a different option, Matt Able, a rising sophomore who put together a promising freshmen season at NC State.

The good news: Able looks to be a promising, NBA-bound talent. The bad news: that NBA destination may be calling sooner rather than later.

ESPN released its latest mock draft, and their prognosticators speculate Able might land with the Houston Rockets at pick 39. That’s the upper third of the 2nd round, which last year earned those picks guaranteed two-year contracts similar to first round picks. Bonus: Able accepted an invitation to work out at the NBA Draft Combine, which runs this week.

You will note that Juke Harris does not appear in that mock draft. Juke opted to forego the NBA Combine and sign with Tennessee, for a number rumored to be as much as $5 million. So, we passed on Juke because we couldn’t wait for the Combine. Instead, we signed a talent who’s going to test the combine, with at least one major media outlet placing him in the portion of the draft where players get two guaranteed years.

Other major mocks don’t mention Able at all, although it’s unclear if they don’t deem him a draft pick or they expect him to return to UNC. Both would be good news for Tar Heel fans. Rookie Scale, which averages results from reputable mocks, lists Able at pick 56. The Athletic (free article) excludes Able completely, perhaps due to an emphasis on not projecting picks who might return to college. The ESPN mock draft for the time being remains a significant outlier.

In all probability, Able gets a combine under his belt to gain experience for next year and plays for UNC next season. A couple of outstanding workouts and scrimmages, however, could muddy the waters considerably. So, should we be worried about Able being at UNC next season?

As a lifelong Tar Heel fan, I rarely miss an opportunity to worry, so, for me: yes.

How about you?

Minnesota Timberwolves at San Antonio Spurs
Date: May 12th, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM CDT
Location: Frost Bank Center
Television Coverage: NBC, Peacock

After four games of chaos, blood pressure spikes, blown opportunities, sudden reversals, superstar theater, and at least one officiating decision that will be discussed in San Antonio like it was the Zapruder film, the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs are tied 2-2, staring down a Game 5 that feels like the hinge point of the entire Western Conference Semifinals.

This series has already been a full-blown emotional obstacle course. Game 1 gave us Anthony Edwards’ miraculous return and a Wolves team that had found just enough offense and defense to steal home court. Game 2 gave us the complete Minnesota meltdown, the kind of performance you bury in a field. Game 3 gave us Victor Wembanyama’s masterpiece. And then Game 4 gave us something even stranger: Wembanyama’s ejection, Anthony Edwards’ Michael Jordan-esque fourth quarter, and a Wolves win that was both exhilarating and wildly uncomfortable, which is the most Timberwolves way possible to tie a playoff series.

Game 4 was the kind of game that takes years off your life but somehow makes you feel more alive. For the first quarter and a half, up until Wembanyama’s exit, it was shaping up to be a classic. The Wolves had clearly responded to their Game 3 disappointment with more energy, more defensive discipline, and the kind of edge they needed with their season hovering dangerously close to the ledge. This looked like it was going to be a long, tense, physical fight with Wemby on the floor.

Then Wembanyama’s elbow flew through space, caught Naz Reid in the head and neck area, and changed everything.

Spurs fans are going to be salty about that Flagrant 2 for the next decade, and honestly, if the roles were reversed and Anthony Edwards had been tossed from that kind of game, Wolves Nation likely would have reacted similarly. It was a tricky situation. By the letter of the law, the ejection made sense. It was high contact, reckless, and dangerous. At the same time, Wembanyama is not exactly known as some dirty enforcer out there trying to collect heads like he’s in an old NHL rivalry series. He was being hounded aggressively by Naz and Jaden McDaniels, the stakes were enormous, emotions were high, and one bad swing of the arm suddenly became the defining moment of the night.

But once the call was made, Wemby was gone, and every Wolves fan had the same two thoughts hit at the exact same time.

The first: “We’re going to win this game.”

The second: “We’re absolutely going to screw this up.”

Because if you know this team, you know nothing is ever that simple. If this were some Tuesday night in February and the opponent’s best player got sent to the locker room, you could practically set your watch to the Wolves mentally relaxing, letting the intensity drop, and turning a golden opportunity into a maddeningly preventable loss. The fear wasn’t irrational. It was historical conditioning. Minnesota has trained its fans to treat good fortune like it might be a trap door.

What followed was a little bit of both. The Wolves did not fully coast, but they were not crisp either. They got sloppy. Turnovers squandered opportunities. Missed bunnies around the rim kept San Antonio alive. Defensive rotations arrived a half-beat late, and those half-beats became good looks for the Spurs. Rudy Gobert got outworked by Luke Kornet on a few possessions. Julius Randle had too many moments where he tried to bully his way through traffic and got his pocket picked. Pretty much everyone not named Anthony Edwards had stretches where they could have been cleaner, sharper, and more ruthless.

The monkey’s paw had curled. Minnesota got its wish and Wembanyama vanished from the game. But in his place came an unconscious De’Aaron Fox, who suddenly looked like he was playing mid-range basketball with a cheat code activated. He penetrated at will, pulled up in rhythm, and kept splashing shot after shot as the Wolves defense tried to find its footing. With eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, San Antonio held an eight-point lead, and the game had become less about matchups and more about will. Who was going to blink first? Who was going to seize the moment? Who was going to decide that this game mattered too much to let it slip away?

That answer, finally and emphatically, was the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Terrence Shannon Jr. hit back-to-back clutch corner threes that changed the shape of the game. Those shots mattered not just because they put points on the board, but because they punished San Antonio for loading up on Edwards. For most of the night, the Spurs were determined to meet Ant with resistance the moment he crossed half court, throwing bodies at him, shrinking the floor, and daring someone else to beat them. Shannon made them pay. Suddenly, the Spurs could not treat every Edwards touch like a five-alarm fire without leaving themselves vulnerable elsewhere.

Jaden McDaniels kept hounding Fox until those clean mid-range looks started clanging off the rim. The Wolves bigs finally grabbed the boards that had to be grabbed. And Anthony Edwards, with Wembanyama sidelined and the season threatening to slip into a 3-1 hole, left absolutely no doubt about who the best player on the floor was.

That fourth quarter was signature Ant. It was the kind of forceful, assassin-like stretch that makes you understand why this franchise lives and dies with him. He put the team on his back. He attacked. He created. He bent the game around his presence. He did not have the advantage of being 7-foot-6 with a wingspan that looks like it requires FAA clearance, but he had something else: the competitive stubbornness to stare down the moment and refuse to let the Wolves lose.

Minnesota flipped an eight-point deficit into a seven-point lead, which should have been enough to let everyone breathe. Naturally, it wasn’t. Because this is Wolves basketball, they still had to turn the final seconds into a stress test. The late inbounds turnover gave San Antonio life. Jaden McDaniels then had to uncork a Culpepper—to-Moss full-court pass, leaving Ayo Dosunmu and Fox fighting for possession like a wide receiver and cornerback on the final play of an NFC playoff game. The somehow ball nicked Ayo’s heel to stay inbounds, the clock bled down, and eventually the Wolves escaped with the win by the skin of their teeth.

If you left those 48 minutes feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, congratulations. You watched the same game the rest of us did. It was a heart attack and an aneurysm disguised as a basketball game.

And now comes Game 5 in San Antonio, where one team will seize control of this series and force the other to win two straight to survive. It is not technically a must-win for Minnesota, but let’s not deny the stakes. The winner of Game 5 will have a massive advantage. If the Wolves steal this one on the road, they come home to Target Center with a chance to end the series and crush a young Spurs team under the weight of its first true playoff crisis. If they lose, they are suddenly one defeat from elimination, needing to win Game 6 at home and then return to San Antonio for a Game 7 against Wembanyama, Fox, and a Spurs team that would be growing more confident by the hour.

So yes, this is a big one.

And with that, here are the keys to Game 5.

1. Keep Pushing Wembanyama to the Brink

The Wolves finally ratcheted up their physicality on Wembanyama in Game 4 after getting a bit too timid in Games 2 and 3, and it paid dividends in ways nobody could have predicted. No one was expecting McDaniels and Reid swarming him like gnats to eventually lead to a swinging elbow and an ejection, but the larger point remains: Minnesota made him uncomfortable. They put bodies on him. They crowded his space. They made him feel the game instead of letting him float through it.

The Wolves cannot allow Wembanyama to cruise into another stat-stuffing night like he did in Game 3. He is too good, too long, too disruptive, and too capable of reshaping the entire game on both ends if he gets comfortable. Minnesota needs to body him up, push him off his spots, fight him on the glass, and make every possession feel like work. This is not about being reckless or dirty. It is about making the series physically expensive.

Randle, Gobert, Naz, McDaniels all need to contribute to that effort. Every catch should come with pressure. Every rebound should come with contact. Every drive should come with bodies. The Spurs want Wembanyama to be the calm center of their universe. The Wolves need to make him play in traffic, make him absorb hits, and make him feel that this is a playoff war against a team that has been through too many battles to be intimidated by height alone.

Wembanyama is going to respond. Great players do. But the Wolves cannot let him dictate the terms. They need to impose their physical will and leave an unmistakable mark on Game 5.

2. Make San Antonio Pay for Loading Up on Edwards

San Antonio’s game plan is clear: Anthony Edwards must see bodies at all times. The Spurs are picking him up near half court, shading extra defenders toward him, and forcing him to operate in crowds. They understand that Edwards is the one player on Minnesota’s roster who can consistently flip a playoff game through sheer force of will, so they are doing everything they can to make his life miserable.

The Wolves need to punish that strategy with quick decisions and trust.

Game 4 gave them the template. When Shannon hit those back-to-back corner threes in the fourth quarter, it was a release valve. It forced San Antonio to pay a tax for overcommitting to Edwards. Suddenly, loading up on Ant was not cost-free. Suddenly, the Spurs had to think twice before collapsing three defenders into his driving lane. That is how Minnesota creates room for its superstar without asking him to play one-on-four.

Edwards has shown a Wolverine-like ability to heal and an almost supernatural capacity to make impossible athletic plays, but even he cannot simply bulldoze through a defense that is selling out to stop him. The smarter move is to use his gravity. Make the early pass. Trust the corner shooter. Reward the cutter. Keep the ball moving until San Antonio’s defense has to rotate, recover, and eventually break. Edwards has to play as the hub of the offense, not the entire offense. If the Spurs want to overload on him, his teammates need to make them regret it.

3. Win the Battle on the Boards

In a series this tight, the math matters. Rebounds are possessions. Possessions are chances. Chances are survival.

Minnesota has generally done a solid job contesting shots and securing boards, even with Wembanyama’s absurd height advantage lurking over everything. The Wolves do not have one player who can match Wemby’s size, but they do have more big bodies they can throw into the fight. This has to be a full-team rebounding effort.

The Wolves need to use that collective size and strength to clean the glass, deny San Antonio second-chance opportunities, and create high-percentage putbacks of their own. They cannot allow the Spurs to miss, recover, reset, and take another swing. San Antonio is already hard enough to guard the first time through. Giving them second and third looks is asking to get buried.

The defensive glass is especially critical because it also fuels Minnesota’s transition opportunities. When the Wolves rebound cleanly, they can run before Wembanyama gets set. They can get Edwards downhill. They can let Shannon use his first step. They can put pressure on San Antonio before the Spurs defense becomes a full Wemby-centered fortress.

Rebound, run, and make the Spurs defend before they are comfortable. That is how Minnesota tilts the possession battle in its favor.

4. Don’t Let the Spurs Kill You in Transition

When Minnesota gets its defense set, it can pressure San Antonio. The Wolves can rotate, wall off lanes, send help, and make the Spurs grind through possessions. But when San Antonio gets out and runs, the Wolves suddenly look much more vulnerable.

That has been one of the clearest swing factors in the series.

The Spurs want to turn misses and turnovers into speed. Fox is lethal when he can attack before the defense is organized. San Antonio’s young legs become a real weapon when Minnesota is retreating, cross-matched, and scrambling. Wembanyama running into unsettled possessions is a completely different problem than Wembanyama working against a set defense. Sprint back. Communicate. Match up. Do not admire missed shots. Do not complain to the refs while the Spurs are racing the other way.

A huge part of it is ball security. Careless turnovers are gasoline for San Antonio’s transition game, and Julius Randle, in particular, has to be better. He cannot keep getting his pocket picked while trying to post up and bully his way toward the rim. That happened too many times in Game 4, and if not for Edwards’ fourth-quarter heroics, it may have cost Minnesota the game.

Sloppiness has no place in Game 5. Not with the series hanging in the balance. Take care of the ball, get back on defense, and force San Antonio to beat you in the half court.

5. Anthony Edwards Needs to Elevate Again

It is a lot to ask of a player dealing with runner’s knee on one side and a hyperextension and bone bruise on the other, but the Wolves need apex Edwards as this series moves into Game 5.

This postseason has featured different Wolves stepping up at different moments. Jaden McDaniels dominated defensively and attacked the rim against Denver. Ayo Dosunmu delivered his 43-point masterpiece. Mike Conley entered the time machine and gave Minnesota critical stretches. Terrence Shannon Jr. has used his first step to create easy offense. Rudy Gobert has shouldered the massive burden of guarding Nikola Jokic and then Victor Wembanyama. Those performances have kept the Wolves alive while Edwards has battled through injury.

But Game 4’s fourth quarter reminded everyone where this team’s ceiling truly lives.

With Ant.

When things are going sideways, Edwards is the one player on the roster who can consistently grab control of the game and bend it back toward Minnesota. His shot has to ring true. His burst toward the rim has to be aggressive. He needs to draw contact, facilitate, and make the game revolve around him without devolving into stagnant isolation ball. The Wolves need surgical Ant who reads the defense, punishes the double, attacks the mismatch, trusts the open teammate, and then turns into a closer when the game demands it.

This series was billed as Wembanyama’s coming-out party. He was the Defensive Player of the Year and future MVP ushering the Spurs into a new era. But looming in the shadow of that giant is an Ant, smaller in stature but enormous in competitive force. He may not have Wemby’s physical dimensions, but he has the heart, the aggression, the determination, and the will to win that showed up when Minnesota needed it most in Game 4.

If the Wolves are going to win two of the next three and move on to another Western Conference Finals, Edwards has to keep elevating.

The Hinge Game

It is hard to overstate the importance of Game 5.

No, it is not technically a must-win, but in practical terms, it is the game that will decide the shape of the rest of the series. Whoever wins will hold a tremendous advantage. If San Antonio wins, Minnesota comes home facing elimination, needing to win two straight to save its season and keep alive the dream of a third consecutive Western Conference Finals. If the Wolves win, the pressure flips violently onto the Spurs, who would have to walk into Target Center and survive a Game 6 with their season on the line.

That is the difference between control and desperation.

San Antonio will be angry. They will be motivated. Wembanyama will almost certainly come out with something to prove after the ejection. Fox will believe he has found something after his heater. The Spurs will be at home, energized, and fully aware that this is their chance to reclaim the series. Minnesota has to match that intensity from the opening tip.

This has been a long, difficult hunt. Both teams have taken their swipes. Both have drawn blood. Both have shown they can hurt the other. Now one of them gets the chance to step on the other’s neck and set up a kill shot in Game 6.

The Wolves need to make sure that shot belongs to them.

That means physicality on Wembanyama. Trust and ball movement. Dominance on the glass. Discipline in transition. And, when the moment gets tight, Ant-Man rising again to remind everyone that this team’s title dreams still run through him.

Game 5 is where the series swings.

The Wolves survived Game 4.

Now they need to seize control.

After going 13-15 across December and January, the Mavs completely spun out in February, all but spelling the end of their season. Losing felt like it would bring longer term value than winning and there was little to get excited about night-to-night. Then, as he had done many times throughout his rookie campaign, Cooper Flagg came to the rescue with a Rookie of the Year effort that kept things interesting through the final day of the Mavs’ season.

March/April Record: 5-18 (26-56 overall)

March began with a single home game, followed by one of the longest road trips in recent memory. Once again, the Mavs came into the month on a losing streak and tacked on six more losses to bring the overall skid to eight. Not quite as bad as the 10-game slide bridging January to February, but a combined 18 losses across those two streaks was devastating. For perspective, the Oklahoma City Thunder lost 18 games across the entire season. Dallas lost four-of-six contests in April, but walked away with a win in game 82 against the Chicago Bulls. This outcome pulled them into a tie with the New Orleans Pelicans, to whom they subsequently lost a coin flip for worse draft standing.

Six game road trip

Beginning March 3, the Mavs embarked on a six-game trek. Dallas was not a good road team (10-30 record) so six road games in 10 nights was not what they needed. Dallas finished the trip going 1-5, with the sole victory coming in the final game against the Memphis Grizzlies. The final two months of the season saw Dallas play 23 road games to only nine at home. The early home cooking had to give way at some point, and this was the time.

Cooper Flagg pours in 51

Flagg sat out eight-straight games from February 12 to March 3, and when he returned, his previously tight grip on the Rookie of the Year award had loosened in the eyes of many media pundits. Kon Knueppel, Flagg’s former college teammate, had made a push while the spotlight was solely focused on him, so Flagg needed to lock in to finish strong. He turned it on at just the right time. In Dallas’ first game of April, he dropped 51 points on the Orlando Magic. This outstanding performance came on 19-for-30 shooting overall, including 6-for-9 from downtown and 7-for-7 from the free throw line. Flagg also had six boards, three assists, three steals, and a block. As an encore, he scored 45 points in the very next game.

Rookie of the Year

By April 27, the Mavericks’ season was already over. 82 games were in the books and Dallas would be watching the Playoffs instead of participating in them. Still, there was one outcome yet to be determined – Rookie of the Year. Flagg added a silver lining for Mavs’ fans by netting 56 first place votes to Knueppel’s 44, winning the award with 412 points which was good for a 26 point margin of victory. Flagg put together an amazing rookie year and left the 2025-2026 season with a reminder that he is only going to get better as the face of the franchise going forward.

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